1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a function-providing system that uses an information device and a peripheral device connected to the information device and providing added functions, to provide certain prescribed functionality.
2. Related Art
Various kinds of information devices, such as printers or multifunction devices that have multiple functions, e.g. printer and FAX functionality, are currently in use. Such information devices also implement various other functions, for example, duplex printing or (where an information device is shared by multiple users) user authentication. Such various functions are sometimes provided by a module appropriate to a particular model of information device and pre-loaded onto the information device; or provided on an optional device intended for connection to the information device. Examples of such optional devices are network cards and USB memory.
Since information devices come in a large number of different models and types with differing capabilities, such optional devices must be designed appropriately for different types of information devices, and this in turn means an increased number of kinds of optional devices that must be provided. To address this problem, there has been proposed, for example, a technology whereby modules for controlling optional device hardware and software are standardized, and when connected to an information device, optimal parameters for that particular information device will be set up in the optional device so that linked operation of the optional device and the information device can be achieved.
However, as the conventional technology exclusively utilizes the modules that control the optional device hardware, even if an optional device includes modules for providing the same function as an information device, it was difficult to select whether to use either the modules included in the optional device, or the modules included in the information device.
The above problem is not exclusive to multifunction devices and printers, but is common to other output devices such as projectors.